Apparatus for making nonmetallic toe binders



Oct. 2, 1956 J, LEAHY 2,764,957

APPARATUS F'OR MAKING NONMEITALLIC TOE BINDERS Filed Dec. 17, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [n1/enfer JamesF/eflfly Oct. 2, 1956 J. F. LEAHY APPARATUS FOR MAKING NONMETALLIC TOE BINDERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 17. 1952 fnvenor Jgmes Leak? United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING NONMETALLIC TOE BINDERS James F. Leahy, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 326,489 2 Claims. (Cl. 118-34) This invention relates to an apparatus for making a nonmetallic toe binder rod for use in the manufacture of shoes, and in particular to an apparatus for making a toe binder rod adapted for use in a power operated toe lasting machine equipped with automatic means for applying and fastening a binder. The toe binder rod is herein described in the form in which it would be used in a power operated toe lasting machine such as that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,420,684, granted on May 20, 1947, on an application of Charles A. Robinson, but it should be understood that the binder rod is not limited to use with this particular machine.

The machine shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent is provided with wipers supported by a Wiper carrier which by movements in the course of a cycle of power operations of the machine causes the wipers to Wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the feather and against the lip of a welt shoe insole on a last. The machine is provided with a pair of grippers for gripping the ends of a binder at the opposite sides of the shoe respectively, automatic means for feeding a binder to these grippers and about the toe end of a shoe, and a binder guide providing a passageway for guiding the binder about the toe from one gripper to the other. Thereafter in proper time relation to the wiping movement of the wipers the grippers are moved to pull the binder from the passageway against the margin of the upper and the binder is then pressed firmly against y the upper by the wipers. to the shoe as by stapling.

In the operation of the machine as originally contemplated, the toe binder is a strip of a relatively soft steel wire. The wire toe binder is effective to aid in lasting and to maintain the overwiped portions of the shoe upper in lasted position during the performance of subsequent operations on the shoe. However, the presence of the wire in the shoe upper is undesirable at later stages in shoe manufacturing, and the wire must be removed particularly where high frequency electric fields or other electronic treatment of the shoe is contemplated.

Extensive efforts have been made to replace the toe binder wire with known filamentary products. However, plastic monofilaments similar in cross section to the toe binder wire and possessing high tensile strength are unsatisfactory in that they tend to break adjacent the grippers during the process of tensioning them around the overwiped portions of the shoe upper and moreover show undesirable weakness in the compressed portion between a fastener, i. e., a staple, and the shoe upper. Heavy thread or cord is unsatisfactory even when heavily waxed. Thus the thread or cord cannot eiciently be pushed through the wiper guide and shows very low holding power under the fasteners or staples so that tension is not maintained to hold the overwiped portion of the shoe in lasted position.

It is a further feature to provide an apparatus for making the new toe binder rod by unifying high tensile Finally the binder is fastened strength synthetic resin filaments with a high percentage of a stiff resin.

The toe binder rod of the present invention is a thin, stifiiy resilient, n-onmetallic rod composed of strands of fine loosely twisted, high tensile strength, synthetic resin filaments, unified by a relatively stiff resin so firmly adhering to the filaments that it remains attached to the filaments even after the distortion or crushing caused by stapling. The lresin fills the spaces between the lilaments and rounds out the contours of the rod to provide a smooth surface for the rod and a cross section substantially free from voids. The rod possesses the necessary stiffness to be pushed through the binder guide channel and possesses sufficient substance to be gripped readily and firmly by the grippers. Under the action of the cross bar of a staple or other retaining portion lof a fastener, the rod is distorted by crushing of the resin and relative displacement of the filaments to provide a notch which prevents slipping of the rod with respect to the fastener. ture of the rod prevents progressive distortion of the rod which might permit it to slip with respect to the fastener under the tension required to maintain the loverwiped portions of the shoe upper in lasted relation.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of the disclosure of the application.

In the drawings,

vFig. l is an enlarged longitudinal view of a length of toe binder rod according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a further enlarged cross section of the toe binder rod taken on the line II-II of Fig. l and illustrating the compact solid nature of the rod of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a very much enlarged fractional cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the substantially complete filling ofthe interfilamentary spaces of the rod and the rounding yof the contour by the unifying resin;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevational View illustrating an apparatus and steps which may be employed in combining the resin and the filaments, and in the subsequent treatment resulting in the unified toe binder rod of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a schematic View illustrating the path of the filaments in the resin container of the apparatus of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the pulley wheels in the resin container with a portion of one flange broken away, showing the position of the filaments in passing around a pulley shaft;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fractional cross sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6 o f the filaments in a groove in one of the pulley wheels in the resin container and showing the relative path of a filament passing around the pulley wheel and of a filament leaving the wheel;

Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating a portion of a toe lasting mechanism for which the present toe binder rod is adapted to be used; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fractional plan view, with parts removed and a portion of the shoe broken away, to show the action on the toe binder rod of a staple as it appears when the staple driver is at the end of its driving movement and the toe binder rod has been locked in position by the crossbar of the staple.

The nonmetallic toe binder rod 10 (Fig. l) of the present invention is a stiflly resilient rod `resulting from the intimate association (see Figs. 2 and 3) of a very high proportonof a stiff resin 12 with a yarn of loosely twisted synthetic resin filaments 14. Special synthetic resin filaments 14 have been found important to securing satis- Here too, the substantial nafactory operational characteristics of the toe binder rod. The. filaments 14 must have a combination of high tensile strength with low elongation characteristics. It has been found that a yarn of continuous nylon (linear polyamide resin) filaments 14 having a tensile strength to breaking of from about 25 to 40 pounds, and an elongation of from l% to not more than 25% and preferably from 12% to 17% prior to breaking will give satisfactory results. Other filaments such as dacron (a polymer of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid) having comparable elongation and tensile strength characteristics may be used.

The proper association of the filaments 14 and the stiff crushable resin 12 involves a number of factors. The loose twist of the filaments 14, i. e., preferably not more than three turns to the inch, is important in order to reduce elongation and to aid in the luniiication of the resin with the synthetic resin ilaments. It has also been found important to provide a correlation between the physical and chemical properties of the resin and of the resin fiber. Thus a relatively brittle resorcinol formaldehyde resin displays highly satisfactory unifying properties in combination with nylon filaments, and is useful but not so satisfactory with such laments as dacron. Y Other resins which may be used as the unifying resin include urea aldehyde, melamine aldehyde and phenol-resorcinol aldehyde resins. Polyvinyl alcohol, acrjlates, methacrylates, polyamides or other similar resins have been used in solution or dispersion as unifying resins but give rise to serious difficulties in obtaining a unified solid rod possessing an acceptable resin content.

It is important that a relatively high percentage of unifying resin be employed to give the necessary substance to the toe binder rod 10. In practice the percent of unifying resin is maintained at or a little above about 30% by Weight to '70% by weight of the filaments. As little' as about 20% or as much as 40% of the unifying resin with from 80% to 60% of the laments may be used. To obtain the unifying eifect of the resin it is important that the resin 12 lill substantially completely the spaces between the filaments 14 and also that suiiicient additional resin be present to round out the contours of the rod 10. In practice this association of resin 12 and filaments 14 has been most satisfactorily achieved by passing the loosely twisted filaments under relatively light tension in several iiights through a concentrated resin solution. Vibration and working of the lilaments with respect to adjacent filaments while passing through the resin solution is important to secure the desired penetration into interfilamentary spaces.

Fig. 4 illustrates a method and apparatus for achieving the desired penetration and association of the synthetic resin filaments and the unifying resin. A loosely twisted yarn composed of tough resin laments 14 in loosely twisted relation is passed under tension from a reel 16 over the grooved pulley wheels 1S and 20 and down into and in a circuitous path through a container 22 substantially lled with a resin solution. ln the container 22 the yarn passes (see Fig. 4 and schematic showing in Fig. 5) completely around a lirst grooved pulley wheel 24, loop 24', across the container 22 and completely around a second grooved pulley wheel 26, loop 26', to provide a rst tensioned flight 28 of yarn through the resin solution. From the second pulley wheel 26 the yarnagain passes across the container 22 to and around a third grooved pulley wheel 30, loop 30", to provide a second tensioned iiight 32 of yarn. Intermediate the pulley wheels 24 and V26, and 26 and 30 between which the tiights 28 and 32 of yarn are disposed there are provided guide loops y3:4 and 36 at one end of a rod 38, the other end of the rod 38 being held in a vibrator 40 providing a rapid reciprocating motion to the rod 38. As shown in the igures, -the guide loops 34 and 36 provide paths for the yarn somewhat out of the direct line from one pulley wheel to another. The reciprocating vibrating movement of the guide loops 34 and 36 produces alternate extra tensioning and limited release of tension in the yarn and also subjects the yarn to a rapid beating which produces some interlilamentary movement in the filaments 14 of the yarn to aid in the penetration of the resin solution into the interllamentary spaces of the yarn. A. further important function of the rapidly vibrating guides is markedly to reduce the tension required to pull the filaments around the pulley wheels and through the bath of resin. in actual tests, it has been found that less than one-half the tension is required where the vibrators are operating as compared to the tension required without the vibrators. Complete penetration of the resin into the interlilamentary spaces is more easily obtained because of the greater freedom for relative movement of the filaments under the reduced tension obtainable with the aid of the vibrator. From the third pulley wheel 30 the yarn passes to and is then passed completely around fourth and fth grooved pulley wheels 42 and 44, loops 42 and 44', before being passed through a forming die 46. Where the yarn passes completely around a groovedpulley wheel (see Figs. 6 and 7) the entering portion 48 and the leaving portion S0 of the yarn are side by side and are pressed together by the sloping sides 52 of the groove. Movement of the yarn into and out of this relationship elects a rubbing action between the portions of the yarn brought in contact both with each other and with the smooth walls of the grooves of the pulley wheels and gives a working and wiping effect which aids in penetration of the resin to the innermost portions of the yarn and assists in uniform wetting of the individual filaments by the resin solution.

After immersion and working in the resin bath, the twisted filaments and associated resin are withdrawn and passed through the forming die 46 which brings the associated mass of filaments 14 and resin 12 to a desired cross section, for example, a circular cross section of uniform diameter. Thereafter the rod is passed, still under tension, through a heating and drying chamber 54 which effects removal of the solvent from the resin and, if a curing type resin is used, a limited curing action. This lheating and drying chamber may be a relatively long tube S6 through which heated air is blown.

As shown in Fig. 4 an electric blower 58 forces air through an electrically heated chamber 60 connected by a 45 elbow 62 to the drying vtube 56. The resin treated yar-n enters the tube 56 .through an lopening 64 at the 45'o elbow and passes freely suspended upwardly through the tube to a pulley wheel 66 of relatively large diameter. The heated air passing through the tube 56 removes `the water or other solvent of the resin solution and, where a curing xtype of resin is used, may effect an at least partial cure of the resin. The toe binder rod 10 comprising loosely twisted filaments 14 and dried, and in some instances .partially cured, -resin 12 isthen wound upon a relatively large diameter, i. e., at least about six inches, drum 68 and permitted to cool and harden.

The resultant nonmetallic toe binder rod 10 `possesses a stiffness and .surface character such that it is readily fed through a binder guide in a machine of the type shown in the patent to Robinson No. 2,420,684.

Fig. 8 illustrates a kportion of a lasting machine `70 with which the present toe binder rod 10 may be used. The machine comprises a support 72 for the toe 74 of a shoe 76 illustrated -as awelt shoe with an insole rib 78, and with Wipers 80 supported by a wiper holder 82 to wipe the marginal portion 84 of the shoe 76 inwardly over the feather and against the insole rib '78 of the shoe. A toe binder rod feeder, indicated at 86, feeds the toe binder rod 16 through a flexible conduit Sil to a passageway defined by an angle member 92 and a displaceable retainer member 94. The passageway 90 'extends -in a U-shaped path around the `toe 74 of the shoe 76 from the conduit 88 to a corresponding point on the opposite side of the toe of lthe shoe. Grippers 96 and 98 are disposed at opposite ends of the passageway 9.0 in position to grip the toe binder rod 10 after it 'has been `fed through the passageway 90 around the toe 74 ofthe shoe 76. As shown in Fig. 8, the gripper 96 adjacent the conduit 88 for the toe binder rod 10 is positioned to permit passage of the toe binder rod to the passageway 90 before being operated to grip the rod; and the gripper 98 adjacent the opposite end of the passageway `9.0 is provided with a stop 100 against which the end of the toe binder rod 10 is brought to halt feeding of the toe binder rod prior to actuation of grippers 96 and 98 to grip the rod.

In the operation of the machine, the toe binder rod 10 is fed through the passageway 90, is gripped by the grippers 96 and 98, and the rod 10 is severed adjacent the gripper 96. The unified nature of the rod 10 permits clean severance of the filaments 14 without substantial fraying out. In further operation of the machine, the wipers 80 are operated to wipe the marginal portion 84 of the shoe over the feather and against the insole rib 78, the retainer 94 is moved to open the passageway 90 and the grippers 96 and 98 are moved to pull the binder rod 10 from the passageway 90 against the wiped over margin 84 of the shoe. The wipers 80 are then retracted slightly, the toe binder rod 10 is moved by the action of the grippers 96 and 98 into the angle formed in the upper material at the juncture between the insole rib 78 and the bottom of the insole, and the toe binder rod 10 is then pressed firmly into the angle and against the upper by the wipers 80. Finally staples 102 (see Fig. 9) are driven through the margin 84 and the insole rib 78 and are bent around by the anvil 103. As shown in Fig. 9, the crossbar 104 of the staple 102 is forced by the driver 105 down into and distorts the outer portions of the toe binder rod 10 to hold the toe binder rod 10 firmly in place. The distortion involves a crushing of the resin 12 in the portions of the rod 10 acted on by the crossbar 104 of the staple 102 and a relative displacement of the filaments of the rod 10. Due to the unified nature of the rod 10 and the firm engagement of the resin 12 with the filaments 14, the crushing is only local so that there is provided a ledge or notch 106 bearing against the crossbar 104 of the staple 102 to prevent slipping of the toe binder rod 10. The crushing of the resin and relative displacement of the filaments avoids breaking of the filaments by the staple or other fastener so that the indented portion of the rod 10 loses little in strength and is capable of maintaining the tension necessary to hold the portions of the shoe upper in wiped-over relationship. Likewise, the portions of the rod 10 adjacent the indented portion remain in substantially their original condition in which the resin unifies the filaments and prevents their displacement to avoid the possibility of slipping of the rod 10 under the crossbar 104 of the staple 102 as 'might occur if the rod 10 could be progressively distorted.

The following example is given to aid in understanding the invention and it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the specific reagents, proportions or conditions of treatment set forth therein other than as set forth in the appended claims.

Example A 277 denier nylon oss yarn approximately 0.025 inch in diameter having a twist of three turns to the inch and a breaking strength of 27 lbs., and an elongation of 17% prior to breaking was threaded through apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 4. The yarn was led from the spool 16 over the pulley wheels 18 and 20, down into the container 22, completely around the pulley wheel 24, through the upper loop 36 of the vibrating guide, completely around the pulley wheel 26, through the lower loop 34 of the vibrating guide, completely around each of the pulley Wheels 30, 42 and 44, and upward out of the container. From the container the yarn was passed through the die 46 having a circular opening of 0.03 inch in diameter, through the opening 64 at the lower end of the drying tube 56 up through the tube 56,

ver theipulleyfwheel `66 and to the winding drum 68. Thereafter lthe container was filled to a point above the level of the pulley wheels and loops with an aqueous 60% solids solution of a two-step resorcinol formaldehyde resin containing1 `siiliicienrf aldehyde to render it thermosetting. Thegblwer 58 was then set in operation to force air through the :heated chamber 60 and into the drying tube 56 ata temperature of 150 F. The vibrator 40 was then started at a frequency of 120 cycles per second and an amplitude of Vs inch, and the yarn was fed from the spool 16 through the apparatus to thejdrum 68. A speed of 10 feet per minute *was4 employed which .provided approximately one-minu'tedrying' curingtime of the yarn in the heated chamber. t

After cooling on the drum, the resin-unified toe binder rod had a tensile strength to break of 40 pounds and an elongation prior to break of 17%. In a Tour-Marshall stiffness tester in which a one-inch span was bent as a cantilever beam using a 0.15 pound weight, at 1 angular deiiection and 20 C. gave a stiffness figure of 2.5, and at 22.5 angular defiection and 20 C. gave a stiffness figure of 5. These figures compare 45 and 53 for a steel rod of the same dimensions. The rod possessed satisfactory characteristics for use in lasting machines, for example in a power operated toe lasting machine of the nature illustrated in Fig. 8. In this machine, the toe binder rod was fed satisfactorily through the fiexible conduit 88 between the open jaws of the gripper 96 to and around the passageway 90 and between the open jaws of the gripper 98. The rod possessed sufficient stiffness that its forward progress was stopped on contact with the stop 100. The rod was cleanly severed by a cutting mechanism associated with the lasting machine and was firmly gripped in a non-slipping engagement by the grippers 96 and 98, the unifying resin providing a body in each case which prevented flattening and fraying out or free displacement of the filaments of the rod which might interfere with the successful operation of the cutting or gripping mechanisms. On further operation of the machine, the toe binder rod possessed the necessary strength and resistance to excessive elongation to hold the lasted over margins of a shoe being operated on by the machine in place against the resilient tendency of the shoe material to slip out of lasted position. On completion of the lasting operation, the toe binder rod was firmly fixed in place by the stapling mechanisms normally associated with the lasting machine, the notch formed in the toe binder rod by the crossbar of the staple holding the rod firmly against slipping under the strain applied by the lasted over material.

Reference is made to a divisional application Serial No. 547,376, filed November 17, 1955, entitled Non-metallic Toe Binders and Methods for Making the Same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for the treatment of loosely twisted yarn with a liquid comprising a container for liquid, wheels freely rotatably mounted within said container and disposed in spaced relation to each other to guide yarn in a circuitous path through said container, a guide loop disposed to engage yarn passing from one wheel to a succeeding wheel, means to reciprocate said guide loop rapidly transversely to the path of the yarn to increase and decrease the length of path of yarn from said one wheel through said loop to said succeeding wheel and to effect momentary relative displacement of the filaments of the yarn, and means for applying tension to yarn to pull it around the wheels and through the guide loop of the apparatus.

- 2. Apparatus for the treatment of loosely twisted yarn with a liquid comprising a container for liquid, grooved wheels rotatably mounted within said container and disposed in spaced relation to each other to guide yarn in a circuitous path through said container, the grooves being constructed to force together successive turns of yarn passing therearound to givefa limited lrubbing action to ceeding wheel `and to leierzt `momentary relative displacement of the iiaments of the yarn; and means for applying tension to yarn to pull it around the grooved 1Wheels andv through the guide loop ofthe apparatus-` References Cited linthe iiie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS u 1,073,570 Keighley sq. 16,1913

8 Russell Ian. l2, 1915 Nivling Sept. 14, 1915 Nivling Sept. 14, 1915 Twiss et al May 10, 1932 Janssen Sept. 21, 1937 Tarbox Oct. 2,9, 1940 Rayburn lan. 30, 1951 Hansen .Tune 24, 1952 Lowell Dec. 30, 1952 Miller May 5, 1953 Henry Nov. 16, 1954 Newam Ian. 18, 1955 

